The San Diego Padres were supposed to duke it out with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League West crown all season long. But a catastrophic slump has hit the Padres and they’re now in a fight for their postseason lives.
But the Dodgers would nothing more than to contribute to San Diego’s demise. They took the opener and now hand the ball to a red-hot Walker Buehler. Can Blake Snell, who has been excellent at Petco Park, get the Padres back on track?
Check out our MLB free picks and predictions for Dodgers vs. Padres on Wednesday, August 25, and find out.
Dodgers vs Padres game info
• Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
• Date: Wednesday, August 25, 2021
• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
Dodgers vs Padres odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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Dodgers vs Padres betting preview
Starting pitchers
Walker Buehler (13-2, 2.11 ERA): Buehler has looked nearly unhittable in the second half of the season. The right-hander hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start since May 11 and in eight starts since July 10 owns a 1.33 ERA and is limiting opponents to a .178 batting average.
Blake Snell (6-5, 4.82 ERA): Snell has been excellent in August for the Padres, pitching to a 2.45 ERA while limiting opponents to a .200 batting average and has racked up 34 strikeouts in 22 innings of work over four starts this month.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Dodgers: Joe Kelly RP (Questionable), Mookie Betts RF (Out), Evan Phillips RP (Out), Scott Alexander RP (Out).
Padres: Taylor Williams RP (Questionable), Matt Strahm RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 6-0 in Padres' last six games as a home underdog. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Padres.
Moneyline pick
It has been just a brutal stretch for the Padres, dropping 10 of their last 12 games and as a result, have fallen a game behind the Cincinnati Reds for the second NL wild-card spot, and things won’t get any easier tonight for a team whose bats have run cold.
The Padres rank 29th in batting average and 27th in OPS in the MLB over this 12-game stretch and now must go up against one of the best pitchers in baseball in Buehler. As noted, the right-hander has a 1.33 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP over his last eight starts.
Buehler has also been solid in two starts against the Padres this season, allowing four runs on 11 hits while striking out 13 in 13 innings pitched, and that was all the way back in April, before he settled into his current groove and became the odds favorite for the NL Cy Young.
Snell is pitching well, and always seems to show up at Petco Park, but the Dodgers lineup is just clicking right now with Trea Turner at the top. They have won 14 of their last 16, plating 5.13 runs per game over that span.
And then Snell will eventually hand the ball over to a bullpen that ranks 28th in ERA and WHIP over the Padres' 12-game slump. This is a good price to back the Dodgers at.
PREDICTION: Dodgers (-140)
Over/Under pick
When it comes to the total, the early money came in on the Over, moving the line from 7.5 to 8, but to me it looks like we just got a little more insurance to back the Under.
We already spoke to the fact that Buehler is on fire and should be able to keep rolling against a Padres lineup that looks stuck in mud, averaging just 3.45 runs per game over their last 12 contests. But Snell should also be able to do a decent job when it comes to matching his counterpart.
The lefty has been fantastic when on the mound at Petco Park this season. In 10 starts at home, Snell owns a 2.68 ERA, is limiting opponents to a .175 batting average, and is striking out a massive 13.1 batters per nine innings.
Snell has also performed well in this rivalry, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out 14 in 10 1-3 innings against Los Angeles. While we’re betting the Dodgers eventually pull away and win this one, Snell will do enough to keep this game below the number.
PREDICTION: Under 8 (-110)
Dodgers vs Padres betting card
- Dodgers (-140)
- Under 8 (-110)
Picks made on 8/25/2021 at 1:25 p.m. ET
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